Down by the River
by CallMeSoldier
Summary: Max and the Flock have stumbled upon the Spirit World, where they meet the Spirit King Kohaku and his beautiful wife, Chihiro. With new adventures, secrets, and surprises, will the Flock stay in the Spirit World forever, or will they go back to the Human World where they are chased down by the evil School? MR set after MAX. FAX, and RIGGY. R&R?


Chapter One: Why Should We Help A Dragon?

"Max?" Nudge asked. I got ready to tune out after the first sentence. "I'm hungry."

I waited. I waited some more. That's it? Only one sentence; and only two words? What has the world come to!? Oh, wait, that's right. Starvation, experimentation, war . . . all those lovely human things. Too bad I'm one of them. Or, well, 98% one of them. But I guess it still counts.

I sighed. "Okay, we'll stop when we hit the next town," I yelled to my Flock. Fang looked at me, and then looked down. I took that as an indication to look as well.

And there, just waiting for us, was another town. Not like it was going to take us long anyways. Japan is small, and with so many people in one little country, they needed to be close together. That means towns are no more than a mile apart.

We were in Japan for our next mission. The Voice told me in a brain attack—not very nicely—that we had to reach Japan within two weeks time. That meant flying to an airport in Washington State and staying seventeen hours on a plane. Not to mention we were claustrophobic. No, that wouldn't pose a problem at all…

Sighing again, I angled myself downwards with a tilt of my wing tips, yelling out to the Flock that I was going down. Always on my right hand side was Fang, giving me an encouraging look. On my left was Iggy, and a bit down from him was Gazzy. Nudge was down from Fang and Total and Angel made up the back. Total could actually fly on wings that would hold him up for most of the time.

Wow, I know.

Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, I ordered them to land in the forest. Tucking my wings in tightly after I shook them out, I glanced around. There was a slight, very slight, trail that led somewhere. The reason I say slight is because it was so abandoned there were dry leaves and grass covering it just enough that if you didn't have sharp eyes, you wouldn't be able to tell it was a trail.

"Where do you think it leads?" Angel asked, hearing my thoughts.

I frowned in thought. "I don't know, but I kind of want to check it out. Let's go; maybe it'll lead us to food." The thought of food set my stomach to rumble and my mouth to salivate. "Fang, scout ahead. Stay invisible. Iggy, I want your ears opened as much as they can be. Immediately warn me of any odd sounds like footsteps or breathing. Angel, keep an eye out for any strange thoughts. I want you all to stay with me. If anything happens, jump into the air as fast as you can and get out of here, Fang and I will reach you eventually. Our meeting place is the next town over in the West. Got it? Good. Let's go."

Fang nodded at me and started jogging, turning invisible as he went. It's been, what, five years since he first got that gift? Now he can turn invisible with only a thought and stay invisible when moving. He also developed a couple new gifts, like transportation from one area to another and a force field. We tested them both out.

He could transport to a mile away and with three people. His force field can hold back two Mac trucks and become a radius of sixty feet. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a clear reading on that one because we didn't have anymore Mac trucks. How we could tell he could handle more was because he wasn't even being strained. He even told me himself—he could handle more.

Nudge got a new power as well. She could manipulate metal. This isn't just some magnet thing that she did a while back, this is major. She could _manipulate_ metal. Like, she could take a pure metal ball the size of a marble and make it as thin as half a sheet of paper, as big as her foot, and be able to stand on it without it bending or breaking. She could turn a light pole into a billion needles and kill you instantly. Now tell me, to my face, that that isn't cool. Go on, tell me. Yeah, that's what I thought.

Gazzy could throw his voice and create optical illusions from his mind. They would look real, feel real, and smell real, but they're just really illusions. And everyone could see them, not just one person.

Iggy could see. Not actually see, but he could feel the vibrations with supreme clarity in the Earth. But he had to actually be touching the earth to feel it. He could tell where an ant was when I had to look down and try and find it. He could tell someone was coming from two miles away. Iggy was probably the one who could see the most out of all of us, even though we have hawk eye vision.

Angel didn't really get anymore powers—which she is a little upset about—but they did strengthen ten-fold. Even with my mind shields up, she could get past them. She could even get past Fang's force field around his head! Now tell me that that isn't amazing. Go on, do it. Still too chicken, I see.

And finally, moi. I only gained one power, though. But I think it's the coolest one out of all of us. I was able to control and create fire. I know cool right? With just one thought, I could make a tree or a house burst into flame. We even tried to use Fang's force field around a tree once, but it still burst into flame. Cool, huh?

And my guess with Fang's force field is that he can only hold back physical attacks. Mental ones don't really do anything because they aren't going to hurt his body, and that's what the force field was for. It was to protect his body, not his mind.

"Max!" I was brought out of my stupor about our powers by Gazzy. He was pointing ahead of us, and I looked up to see a big red tunnel. It looked like it was falling apart. Pieces of plaster were falling down from the roof of it, and inside it looked like it was pitch black. In front of it, visible to the world to see, stood Fang.

"What do you think it is?" Angel asked. Fang and I shrugged simultaneously.

"It feels like…" Iggy started, his hand on the ground. He lifted his head, cocking it to the side. "It feels like it's . . . pulling me in."

"Pulling you in?" I questioned. He nodded.

"The wind, it's moving inwards. And I can hear faint sounds coming from it. Almost like a moaning. Max, can we check it out? I want to find out what's on the other side. I can't tell." Iggy took two steps forward, unseeing eyes still locked onto the red tunnel.

I looked at Fang and he seemed to contemplate it. He stared at it for quite some time before turning to look at me, a decision set in his eyes. He nodded. Sighing irritably, I motioned for the rest of the Flock to follow, walking up to the tunnel and Fang stepping in beside me. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, but he was just staring straight ahead, one of his brows barely—_barely_—furrowed. It was almost nerve wracking that he was giving it so much thought.

When we got to the other side, there was a big room filled with broken down wooden benches, and broken stained glass windows. "It's abandoned," Gazzy said innocently, looking around with big blue eyes. I nodded.

"Let's keep going," I muttered, not liking it in there. I moved to the other tunnel, light shining through it. When we all stepped out, all the little ones gasped.

"WOW!" Nudge squealed, jumping up and down, running through the grass to spin around. "It's so cool!"

I grinned at Fang and got a small smile back. The other kids laughed and spun around with her. But Iggy was still standing there, his head tilted to the side. "Iggy?" I questioned. "Is something wrong?"

"I . . . don't know. It feels off. Like the earth shifted underneath us. This . . . isn't the same earth. I don't know how to describe it," he added like he could feel the confusion written all over my face.

"I feel it, too," Fang said by my side quietly. "It doesn't feel like our world."  
If Iggy _and_ Fang felt it, then surely what they were saying was true. I glanced at the younger ones. They were all still laughing and playing, Gazzy chasing Angel and Nudge with a bug, Total jumping on his back and shoulders. They looked so, so, so carefree. Careless. I couldn't take that away from them again.

"We'll keep going. I want to find out what is making you guys feel like this," I said firmly, walking forward. Fang followed on my right, Iggy on my left. "Guys!"

The kids paused in their game, running to my side. "I want you to stay with me, Fang, or Iggy. No one goes off alone. This place is dangerous. Right now, we should focus on getting some food and a warm place to stay tonight. Deal?"

The kids nodded. I started forward again, keeping my eyes trained on the horizon. I didn't trust this place because it gave Iggy and Fang the heeby-jeebies. I didn't want to take the chance that one of us was wounded because of my poor intuition.

"What is that?" Gazzy asked, pointing to little buildings covered in signs that were written in Japanese. I shrugged. To me, they looked like restaurants.

"Maybe they have food?" Angel asked, hearing my thoughts.

"I guess. But we don't have any money," I said regretfully.

"Well…" Gazzy started, but I shot him a look. He looked down sheepishly. "Sorry."

I nodded sharply, turning my attention back to the scene in front of us. We turned the corner.

"Whoa," Nudge breathed. That seemed all she was capable of saying.

"Whoa is right," Gazzy grudgingly agreed, his blue eyes as wide as they could go.

There, standing high and mighty and glaring at us in the waning sun, was the most ornate and beautiful building I have ever seen. And in front of that building was probably the most intense battle I've ever seen also.

There were hundreds of people clashing swords and spears. They all fought with so much force it was hard to think they were human. I looked closer. They _weren't!_ They weren't human! There were little frogs, these girls with huge heads and fish-like eyes, a couple snakes thrown in there, and these big spider-like things clad in all black. The spider things were big and hairy, like tarantulas, and they had big beady eyes and huge pincers. But they walked like a man.

And off to the side there was a huge jumble of the spider things tackling a giant white dragon, over and over again. My guess was that the spiders were the bad guys, considering they were in all black and positioned in the offensive.

"Should we help?" Nudge asked nervously, eyeing the dragon. A massive roar ripped through the air, and the spiders flew off of it.

Suddenly, a guy—or at least I think he was a guy—rode up on what looked like a skeletal horse. "Spirit King of the East Kohaku, step down now and this madness will stop," he said, his voice booming like loud drums over the sound of battle.

The dragon roared again.

"Have it your way. Men, bring Queen Ogino out," he ordered loudly. Then a man on horseback rode up next to him, a tied up girl on the back. I could hear her muffled voice with my hearing. "Stop!"

The spiders in black automatically stopped and backed off. The others struck some of them down, but other than that, they stopped fighting as well and watched with wide and terrified eyes. The spiders that were advancing on the dragon again backed off as well.

The white beast moved forward slowly, hissing and growling. It had many wounds on its stomach, but other than that, it remained untouched. Oh, how I wanted a pet like that…

Angel giggled.

And suddenly, every eye turned towards us. _Thanks, Angel_, I thought. She looked down sheepishly.

"Humans!" the guy on the horse shrieked. "Kill them!"

The spiders ran at us, and suddenly, Fang was in front of the Flock, his hands out and a force field surrounding us. The spiders smacked against it, bouncing off like it burned them. "Thanks Fang," I muttered, smoothing down the hairs on my arms. "Nudge, while I light these things on fire, I want you to rescue that girl. Got it?" Nudge nodded, coming to stand beside Fang. She had her fingers up, ready to move the metal.

"Can I roar like that dragon when you're done?!" Gazzy asked excitedly. I laughed shortly.

"Yes. Now, let's get this show on the road!"

I lifted my hands and thought hard. I could almost feel the fire within my blood. It wanted so badly to get out, to burn down everything in its path. And I thought about opening those locked doors, letting out the burning passion, guiding it to its play dates. Let's play!

The spiders burst into flames, all of them screaming and yelling, rolling around on the ground and running. I stepped out of Fang's barrier, laughing. Oh, it felt so good to burn things again. I haven't done this in a long, long time. "Nudge," I yelled back at her.

"Already on it," she yelled at me, concentrating on the man with the girl. His sword lifted and cut the girl's ropes, her eyes big and wide.

The dragon surged forward after sending the spiders attacking it to the side, all of them landing in a heap. He was moving towards the girl. "Fang!" I screamed, pointing. He got the memo, throwing up another shield around the girl. Did I mention that he could put up two at once? No? Well now you know.

But all the dragon did was growl at Fang and pass through the barrier. The beast knelt in front of the girl and she smiled at it, raising her hand to its face. Oh. They were friends.

Suddenly, the dragon roared as loud as one of Gazzy and Iggy's bombs. The girl winced and covered her ears. Must've been painful for her being right next to him. Poor Iggy. And poor Flock; we all have sensitive hearing, and that roar about made me deaf.

The man on the horse fled, his army ruined to ashes by my hand. But the others were still on guard, staring at us warily. I guess they have the right to. I mean, it wasn't like we just came in and destroyed an army single handedly. But I had one question.

"How the hell did you get through that barrier?" I growled to the dragon. It seemed to smile.

Flicking its tail the dragon walked towards me, sniffing. Suddenly Fang was there, half in front of me and half to the side of me. I put a hand on his shoulder to tell him to calm down. He glanced back at me, one of his eyebrows barely raised. _He's scared,_ Angel's voice whispered in my mind.

My eyes flicked to her. She was staring at Fang and glancing at Iggy. They were both focused on the dragon. Why would Fang be scared? It's a stupid pet that I can bring down with my flames.

_No Max, he's not. That dragon is the most powerful thing in these lands. Fang and Iggy know that—I don't know how they do, but they do. Max, Fang is terrified! Look at him, he's almost shaking!_

And I did. I looked at him closely. His eyebrows were scrunched together more than they were, there was a slight tightening around his onyx eyes, and his hands were clenched tightly, almost like he was preventing himself from shaking. He was trying to not show fear. Fang…

The dragon huffed once, and Fang barely winced. I saw the others bowing and then I looked to the Flock, eyes widening at the sight. Iggy was standing ram-rod straight, his unseeing eyes as wide as they could go, his hands shaking. I've never seen him or Fang this scared. And seeing them scared terrified me.

Suddenly the dragon exploded in a mass of scales which floated down like flower petals. And walking out of the flurry of scales was the second most gorgeous guy I've ever seen. Fang is still the best.

He had long hair like Fang's that was let down but tied at the bottom by a red ribbon. His bangs were cut straight across his face, covering his eyes in shadow. Even if it was pitch dark I think I'd still be able to see them, though. They seemed to glow with ethereal power. His features were sharp and angular, his cheekbones high.

He had on traditional Japanese clothes—I didn't know the names of them. I was born and raised in a crate, remember? And he walked with a dignity and grace that left me looking like and elephant in a China shop. Or is it a bull? I can never remember these sayings…

Fang's breath caught slightly and he moved backwards, pushing me back as well. I heard Iggy whimper. Glancing back at him, I saw Angel and Nudge take his hands, and Gazzy start rubbing his back.

"Who are you? What's going on? Why are you scaring my Flock?" I ordered this powerful man, stepping around Fang. I crossed my arms across my chest and ignored the way he hissed. Stinkin' bird, bein' all protective.

I sent him a look and he fell silent, glaring at me and then the mysterious man who stopped in front of me. I could tell it took all of Fang's willpower to not pull me back, and for a moment I was scared about talking to this being. But when I remembered the battle earlier, all of that fear was replaced with anger and curiosity. A dangerous mix for me.

"Again, who are you?" I snarled, my hands twitching.

"A dragon," he replied liltingly, chuckling deep in his throat.

"Haku," the woman whom was tied up scolded. "Stop this. Tell them what's going on, give them some food, and let them rest. I can tell they've had a long day and are in need of a rest. And you can suppress your powers, the one over there looks like he's about to pee his pants."

The dragon-man sighed heavily, smiling sheepishly at—what I assumed she was—master. Then he cocked an angry eyebrow at me. "I am nobody's pet, human," he hissed quietly. I raised an eyebrow at him as well.

"Well it sure looks like you are from my point of view. Tell me, does she feed you well? Give you a warm place to—"

I was cut off by Fang yanking me behind him. He bowed to the dragon-man. "Forgive her," his deep voice rumbled quietly. "She has a temper as well as a quick mouth. My apologies, My Lord."

I stared at the back of Fang's head as he stood back up. What fresh hell was this? Fang, bowing to someone other than _moi_, was_ apologizing?!_ Fang _never_ apologizes, even if he screwed up big time. All he does is just make up for it.

"Fang?" I asked quietly, but he shot me a look. Okay, that was it. My right hand man does not suddenly bow to someone else and tell me what to do. I yanked him around. "What is with you? Ever since we got here you're acting like a completely different person. Might I remind you who the Flock leader is and who saved your ass plenty of times?" I shoved his shoulder to emphasize my point. "You're my right hand man and my boyfriend. But you are _not_ my owner. Got it?"

He stared at me for a long moment, one of his eyes twitching. Finally he shook his head, sighed, and stepped back. The dragon-man, who was watching the scene with amused eyes, laughed heartily.

"Wow, they remind me of us, dear," he rumbled. The woman was suddenly by his side, smiling at me.

"That they do," she said, humor in her voice. "Hello, my name is Chihiro. I'm queen of these lands. I apologize for my mate's behavior. Being a dragon gives him a nasty temper."

The dragon-man bowed low. "My name is Nigiyagami Kohaku Nushi, and I am the Lord of these lands. Your mate is wise for fearing me, but I mean no harm. Please, come inside." He motioned to the big building's doors, bowing his head. "These humans are to be treated as royal guests," he boomed to the things standing outside. "Treat them as you would Lady Chihiro and I."

"Yes, Lord Kohaku," they all said in harmony.

"Oh, how I wish I could control the Flock like he does," I muttered to Fang, and I watched as the corner of his mouth twitched. I smiled. "Flock," I ordered. They came obediently. I looked at Iggy and grabbed his shoulder, squeezing it in comfort. "We're still your eyes, Igster," I whispered, knowing the Flock and the dragon-man could hear me.

He sighed shakily. "I know. Thanks."

"No problem. Hold onto my belt loop if you have to. I'm here," I muttered, turning around.

"I'm alright. I have the earth, remember?" I laughed at this. Yes, Iggy always had the earth.

"Yep." I started forward, Fang on my right hand side, Iggy on my left. The rest of the Flock followed in our wake.

Behind me, I didn't notice Lord Kohaku and Lady Chihiro share knowing and amused looks. "Are they really human?" she asked her mate.

"Four of them mostly are, and the dog is mostly a dog, but two of them are . . . I think they're spirits. They could feel my power when the others couldn't, and I heard the conversation the leader and the darker one had. She said he was acting different. They both probably sensed this wasn't the world they were used to when they stepped into it."

"What do you mean by the others are mostly human?" Chihiro asked.

"I mean that they are mostly human, but they are also something else. They are bird, if my memory serves me well. I remember smelling something similar when the winged creatures dived into my river to get fish and bugs."

"That would explain why the girl called them 'flock'," Chihiro mused. "C'mon, Haku, let's go greet our 'royal' guests. We all have some explaining to do. Perhaps they can live here with us."

Haku smiled at his mate, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, giving her a kiss on the temple. "Perhaps so, mate. Perhaps so." With that said, they both walked into the foyer where the 'Flock' was waiting for them, the leader with her hands on her hips.

Haku smiled.

.

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**Well, there you go, peeps! The first ever Maximum Ride and Spirited Away FANFIC! I feel so accomplished right now. Okay, just to clear some things up: MR is set after MAX, and as explained earlier, they got some new powers. I gave them little tweaks of my own, as you can tell, so whatev's. Flames will be used for roasting marshmallows, so don't even try them. If you don't like it, don't read it. But other than all that, I feel like I did well with the first chapter. Maybe except the fight scene. But I hope those will get better in time. I've never really been good at them… Read and review please! I'll try to get the next chapter up by next Friday! Thanks for reading!**


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